Vol. XIX, Issue 9 September 2009 Dear Ones, Last month, I wrote about the recently concluded General Convention of The Episcopal Church, which was held in Anaheim, California. I pointed out to you several actions of the convention that I found to be significant. In that article, the significance was about the “rightness” of the actions, rather than the actions themselves, and like an arrow, pointed to how we are called to live as followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This month, I want to explore another area of our calling: what it means to be in communion. Each Sunday, we gather to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving”. In past versions of the Book of Common Prayer, reaching back to the very first one in 1549, this was called “Holy Communion.” Other traditions (notably less catholic than we) call it “The Lord’s Supper”. Regardless of what it is called and what one’s theology about it may be, it is a “community” event. Even our word “communion” sounds a bit like it and comes from the Greek Koinonia, usually translated “fellowship” or “community”. Underlying either of these translations is the concept of shared or common beliefs and ideas. These can be simple or complex, and may be central to one’s belief system or something that lurks at the edges. There’s a fifty-cent word for the latter: Adiaphora, or indifferent. For Anglicans, that usually means something that is not necessary or not critical to who we are or what we believe. I had a very wise friend who, in responding to her daughter’s angry response to being disciplined, “You don’t love me anymore”, calmly and quietly said, “Darling, I’ll always love you. Just now, though, I don’t like you very much.” Living in community, living in communion is not unlike being part of a family. We don’t see eye-to-eye on everything, we disagree, and argue. At the end of the day, though, we’re still that family in spite of our points of difference. Let’s think about something that is part of our weekly worship on Sunday mornings. Except for Eastertide and Baptisms, we say the Nicene Creed together. Now, I don’t think that I know anyone who is completely satisfied by every jot and tittle of the creed. Given its history, it is very clear that not everyone was satisfied by it from its beginning at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325. (That was a long time ago!) Another council met in Constantinople in 381 and altered it. Later councils reaffirmed what was done in Constantinople. You’d think it would have been settled. It wasn’t. In the sixth century in what’s called the filioque controversy, we drove a wedge between the Eastern and Western churches over the addition of “and the Son” to the clause concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit. In 1978, the Lambeth Conference suggested that each province consider dropping the filioque, to address a major point of disagreement with the Orthodox church. The Episcopal Church provides this option in our Enriching Our Worship supplements to the Prayer Book. At the heart of it, when we say the creed together, we don’t have to all agree whether the filioque belongs there or not (or any other personal point), but it is not an issue that divides us one from another. Sadly, this concept of living together in some ambiguity seems to have become something that creates hostility and divides. Somehow, I don’t think that’s what Jesus meant when he said that we should love each other. -Thomas THE FOURTH EPISTLE SAINT JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH MOBILE, ALABAMA The Right Reverend Philip Duncan, Bishop, Protestant Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast The Reverend Thomas Heard, Rector FROM THE RECTOR:
Transcript
Vol. XIX, Issue 9 September 2009
Dear Ones,
Last month, I wrote about the recently concluded General Convention of The Episcopal Church, which was held in Anaheim, California. I pointed out to you several actions of the convention that I found to be significant. In that article, the significance was about the “rightness” of the actions, rather than the actions themselves, and like an arrow, pointed to how we are called to live as followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
This month, I want to explore another area of our calling: what it means to be in communion.
Each Sunday, we gather to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving”. In past versions of the Book of Common Prayer, reaching back to the very first one in 1549, this was called “Holy Communion.” Other traditions (notably less catholic than we) call it “The Lord’s Supper”. Regardless of what it is called and what one’s theology about it may be, it is a “community” event. Even our word “communion” sounds a bit like it and comes from the Greek Koinonia, usually translated “fellowship” or “community”.
Underlying either of these translations is the concept of shared or common beliefs and ideas. These can be simple or complex, and may be central to one’s belief system or something that lurks at the edges. There’s a fifty-cent word for the latter: Adiaphora, or indifferent. For Anglicans, that usually means something that is not necessary or not critical to who we are or what we believe.
I had a very wise friend who, in responding to her daughter’s angry response to being disciplined, “You don’t love me anymore”, calmly and quietly said, “Darling, I’ll always love you. Just now, though, I don’t like you very much.”
Living in community, living in communion is not unlike
being part of a family. We don’t see eye-to-eye on everything, we disagree, and argue. At the end of the day, though, we’re still that family in spite of our points of difference.
Let’s think about something that is part of our weekly worship on Sunday mornings. Except for Eastertide and Baptisms, we say the Nicene Creed together. Now, I don’t think that I know anyone who is completely satisfied by every jot and tittle of the creed.
Given its history, it is very clear that not everyone was satisfied by it from its beginning at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325. (That was a long time ago!) Another council met in Constantinople in 381 and altered it. Later councils reaffirmed what was done in Constantinople. You’d think it would have been settled.
It wasn’t. In the sixth century in what’s called the filioque controversy, we drove a wedge between the Eastern and Western churches over the addition of “and the Son” to the clause concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit. In 1978, the Lambeth Conference suggested that each province consider dropping the filioque, to address a major point of disagreement with the Orthodox church. The Episcopal Church provides this option in our Enriching Our Worship supplements to the Prayer Book.
At the heart of it, when we say the creed together, we don’t have to all agree whether the filioque belongs there or not (or any other personal point), but it is not an issue that divides us one from another. Sadly, this concept of living together in some ambiguity seems to have become something that creates hostility and divides.
Somehow, I don’t think that’s what Jesus meant when he said that we should love each other.
-Thomas
THE FOURTH EPISTLE SAINT JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
MOBILE, ALABAMA
The Right Reverend Philip Duncan, Bishop, Protestant Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast
The Reverend Thomas Heard, Rector
FROM THE RECTOR:
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All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee.
1 Chronicles 24:14b A mark of a healthy parish is that it lives as a good steward: promoting good stewardship of our time, spiritual gifts and resources. We are nearing a most exciting portion of our stewardship this year. Pledge cards will be given out on October 25th. These should be returned by November 8th. After your commitment is returned the Vestry will make concrete plans about what God has provided St. John’s for the coming year.
A stewardship lunch will be held following the service on November 8th. Our theme this year will be how we all fit into the puzzle which makes the picture of St. John’s. You will receive a puzzle piece with your pledge card. It is very important that you tie a string around your finger to remember to bring the piece to the lunch-eon. You will fit the piece into the puzzle to show how we all are part of the picture of St. John’s. Our reason for giving to God is a thanksgiving for the unlimited generosity of God to us. We are reassured that we are a faithful people whether it is week after week, month after month or year after year. No matter how small your income, you can
pledge. It is hoped you will commit what you are able-moving a little closer to the tithe. You may decide to do something called the “modern tithe”. This is where you will give 5% to the church and 5% to other causes. The total would be 10% of your income. Below is a table which will help you decide what to give proportion-ately based on your household income. Please be thankful and join this celebration of our STEWARDSHIP. You are a part of what makes St. John’s a great church. By the way, I have had questions about how St. John’s uses its gifts. That will be discussed next month.
Don’t forget to sign up to participate in the Habitat for Humanity Interfaith Build, which begins this month. St. John’s is participating with Redeemer and All S a i n t s E p i s c o p a l Churches for the kick-
off weekend September 11-13. This will be the “framing” weekend—and it’s LOTS of fun to see the walls go up! The house is in Hillsdale, off of Cody Road in west Mobile. The day starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m., but you are welcome to work a half day if necessary. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. Event t-shirts will be available for all workers for $8 while supplies last. Work on this house will continue through early November, with a scheduled move-in date of Thanksgiving. If you can’t help the weekend of September 11-13, then please consider calling Habitat at 476-7171 to volunteer for one of the following dates when help is still needed: September 18, 20, 25, 26, 27 or October 31 or November 8.
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OutreachOutreachOutreachOutreach
R. H. WILMER CHAPTER Following a summer break, St. John’s chapter of the Daughters of the King will resume regular monthly meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 12:00 noon at the church. This month’s meeting will be September 8.
For healing grace and continued strength, we pray for our members: Bud McLean Kathe Gieseler Bill Southall Leah Betts Stephen Lee Earl Garner Shannon Newberry Ashley Garris Gloria Lee For our Homebound: Alice Cieutat Mae Dunn Will Elam Corinne Faust Gwen Johnson Violet Kosko Vevia Lund Angela McGuire Audrey Meador Jane Tate Moore Betty Plash Chick & Dot Wohlert For our Friends and Family: Sara Scrivener Tucker Stuckey Phebe Lee Marla B. Lovett Betty Chenoweth William Dunn Julie Hinton Helen Baker Joe Stroeker Gracie Stroeker JoAnn Alioto Shirley Mayson Rodene Nestman Michelle Walker Mary Lou Johnston Jim Owens Maddie West For victims of war and their families, and members of our Armed Forces and their families: Steven Garris Jeffery Yeager Ellis Eugene Garner Eric Mattoon Cheryl Garner
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SEPTEMBER LITURGICAL CALENDAR
The Martyrs of New Guinea At our Wednesday Said Mass with Holy Unction on 2 September, we will commemorate the Martyrs of New Guinea. The second largest island in the world is still a frontier for Christian missionary work because of its terrain and diversity. The first missionaries arrived in the 1860s with the Anglicans arriving in 1891. During the second world war, eight missionaries and two Pap-uan martyrs were betrayed to Japanese invaders. Their witness is part of this day’s celebration, but also the faith and devotion of Papuan Christians who risked their lives to care for the wounded and damaged. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Situated as close to the Feast of the Assumption as it is, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary receives less solemnity than it did in earlier times. The earliest evi-dence of a celebration of the Mother of Our Lord comes from the 6th century. Following the declaration of the Council at Ephesus in 431 that Mary was the Theotokos, or God-bearer, devotion to Mary became much more common. The origins of the story of her birth come from the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James, written about 150. We will celebrate the birth of Mary at a Said Mass on Tuesday, 8 September at 12:15PM. Constance and Her Companions Also known as the Martyrs of Memphis, Constance and the Sisters of Saint Mary worked tirelessly and at personal risk to minister to the victims of Yellow Fe-ver in Memphis in 1878. Working alongside doctors and priests, the epidemic finally passed, but not before so many had fallen. We will remember their devotion to their brothers and sisters at a Said Mass at 10:00AM on Wednesday, 9 September. Holy Cross Day On Monday, 14 September at 12:15PM, we will cele-brate the Feast of the Holy Cross. Eusebius tells us that it was Helena, mother of Constantine, that dis-covered the True Cross buried at Golgatha. She was entrusted to build a suitable housing for it, that would
inspire attraction and veneration. Whether Helena actually found the cross, her work stands today as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This day, we honor the implement of execution that brings us life and salvation. Ninian of Galloway Ninian, a Romanized Briton, appears in a brief ac-count in the Venerable Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Martin of Tours was a great influence on Ninian where he gained his ideals of an Episcopal-monastic organization for missionary work. Along with Patrick of Ireland, Ninian is part of the continu-ity between the ancient Roman-British church and the developing Celtic Christianity of Ireland and Scotland. We’ll celebrate Ninian’s life and work at a Said Mass on Wednesday, 16 September at 10:00AM. Saint Matthew Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist will be com-memorated on Monday, 21 September 2009 at a Said Mass at 12:15PM. Legend holds that Matthew the Tax Collector became a disciple of Jesus and later wrote an account of the life and works of Jesus. We know this today as the Gospel of Matthew. Saint Michael and All Angels One of the Major Feasts of the Church, we will cele-brate the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels at a Solemn Mass on Tuesday, 29 September at 6:30PM. Angels have found a place in contemporary society with many identifying a personal guardian angel. But angel comes from the Greek “Angelos” which means “messenger”. This day we commemorate all the mes-sengers and agents of God throughout the course of history. Jerome of Bethlehem We will celebrate the feast of Jerome of Bethlehem at our Wednesday, 30 September Said Mass at 10:00AM. Jerome, a priest and monk, died in about 420. Pope Damasus tasked Jerome with making a new transla-tion of the Bible into Latin, known to us as the Vul-gate.
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In a couple more weeks, we will be back to our normal choir rehearsals, starting Wednesday, September 2 at 7:00 p.m. We need your help. Won’t you join the choir for the upcoming year? One of our obligations to the church is to follow Christ, and to work, pray and give for the spread of His King-dom. Joining the choir would fulfill your “work” promise. Think about it!
Actions taken at the August ECW meeting:
• Approved having a Book Nook in the parish hall, pending Vestry approval.
• Changed our monthly meeting date back to the first Wednesday of the month, at 11:00 a.m.
• Asked everyone to talk up our rummage sale.
Please join us for our next meeting at 11:00 a.m. on September 2.
-Audrey Garner
COURTYARD NEWS If you remember, I asked for volunteer “lay weeders” or donations to help in the courtyard, but I had only one lay weeder and no donations. My worker volunteer was Andrew (my son) and that may be the result of a little arm-
twisting on my part. Regardless, he is a good worker and we accomplished a great deal: the shrubs were trimmed, the flower beds cleaned, weeds pulled and, all in all, a lot was accomplished in a few hours. I hope you noticed. Bill Sundie was successful in getting two young men to clean the flower bed on the corner of Breamwood in front of Thee Store, clean along the back fence line, and pick up and haul off the debris. We had to pay to have it done, but it was worth it. Now we need to work on the west side of the church. Enjoy the rest of your summer.
-Joyce Lee
SOUTH ALABAMA’S INAUGURAL FOOTBALL SEASON
As the University of South Alabama begins its inau-gural football season, St John’s Episcopal Church will offer parking spots. St John’s is located at 1707 Government Street, less than four blocks from the Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The location makes for easy access to the stadium and a quick getaway after the game. Parking will begin approximately two hours prior to kickoff and will last until all spaces are filled. Parking will cost ten dollars per game Season parking passes may be purchased, allowing you the opportunity to save a space near the sta-dium. Season passes are $60 dollars. Checks must be made out to St John’s Episco-pal Church. For more informa-tion please call the church at 479-5474. If you are willing to help park cars (about two hours of work) please call Eugene Johnston at 478-5354.
Looking Ahead... Our next supper club will be on Saturday, October 10 at the home of Bob and Paula Ross.
THEE STORE IS ON THE ROAD AGAIN!
• ECW Women’s Conference at Blue Lake - September 18, 19, 20
• St. Agatha’s in DeFuniak Springs September 29
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
St John’s ECW Rummage Sale October 23rd and 24th
How can you help?
• Bring your “trash and treasures” items to the church. You can bring them anytime the church is open. A few reminders:
⇒ Please make sure items are clean
⇒ If it is electric make sure all the parts are included and it works
⇒ No computer stuff this year (it didn’t sell last year)
⇒ We’re taking clothes this year but they have to be in good condition (no stains or rips), washed and ironed (or dry cleaned), and on hangers
• Volunteer to spend a few hours helping to sort and price the items: see Paula Ross to find out when.
• Tell your friends and neighbors about the sale (and all the other good things we do at St. John’s) and invite them to come.
• Volunteer to work at the sale. We need people to help keep the room organized and the tables looking neat; answer questions from our “customers” and to clean up afterwards. A sign-up sheet will be on the bulletin board soon.
ECW will meet on Wednesday, September 2 at 11:00 a.m. If you can come early that day, please be at the church by 9:00 a.m. to help sort items for the rummage sale.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT
THE MOVIES Join us Saturday, September 12 at 1:00 p.m. for Click—a com-edy starring Adam Sandler. As usual, we will have all the fa-vorites: popcorn, drinks and maybe some sweets!!
ST. JOHN’S OUTING—OCTOBER 8 We are organizing an outing for all St. John’s members for Thursday, October 8. The plan includes:
• Tour of the Phoenix Fire Museum at 203 S. Claiborne St. (we will park in Fort Conde parking lot)
• Eat lunch at the original site of St. John’s Episcopal Church, now called British Park (Parish Life will provide lunch)
• Take a guided tour of the Battle House Hotel
• Visit Connie McLean’s office in the RSA tower to enjoy a lovely view of Mobile Bay There will be a sign-up list on the bulletin board. The first 15 to sign up can ride in the St. John’s van. Others may meet us in the Fort Conde parking lot at 9:15 a.m. (or at the church at 9:00 a.m.). We hope everyone will join us.
Will Elam 09/03 Willis Ford 09/05 Barbara Young 09/05 Ron Brown 09/06 Patsy Winn 09/06 Alice Schablinski 09/09 Barbara Vann 09/12 Stephanie McCormick 09/13 Ashleigh Lott 09/14 William Shine 09/17 Lavelle Ollhoft 09/19 Jeremy Anderson 09/20 Karley Eckhoff 09/20 Neil McPhail 09/20 Constance Maddox 09/21 Thelma Lomers 09/22 Benjamin Germany 09/25 Ashley Garris 09/26 Phoebe McCormick 09/26 Matt Mattoon 09/27 Andre Dardeau 09/30 Marshall Waites 09/30
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Regina & John Molyneux 09/02 Dana & Scott Escobio 09/07 Carrie & Glenn Fairley 09/09 Donna & Ron Waites 09/17 Irene & Butch Yeager 09/29
Saint John’s wishes to extend a sincere thank you to the following people who made memorial donations honoring the following individuals: Cy Margaret Young Joe Thomas & Margaret Mosley Lillian Mayson A. Neil Hudgens & Margaret H. Ferguson E. W. Faulk, Jr. David & Linda Miller Venetia & Arthur Prince Hilary Cabaniss Rebecca J. Baumhauer Perrin & Bill Drew Carolyn Smith Jean & Arthur Williams, Jr.
Memorial Donations
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Parish Office Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Telephone: 251-479-5474 Fax: 251-473-1230 www.stjohnsmobile.org Thee Store Episcopal Books Mon-Wed & Fri: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays after church and by appointment
Telephone: 251-479-5086
Saint John’s Episcopal Church 1707 Government Street Mobile, Alabama 36604
